In her eagerly awaited speech on the future of the EU in front of the European Parliament, on 13 November 2018, German Chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned diversity as the concept that defines Europe and tolerance as the basic requirement that brings Europe together.

"We all, me included, have seen that the international programmes are not sufficiently financed. We hope for a signal that the gap in the WHO will be filled,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday (23 September).

Speaking about Greece on her arrival at the June EU Council Summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that “there hasn't been enough progress, and to some extent one can have the impression that we are moving backwards”.

“Many of you will be attentive to the meeting on Greece. Don't expect a breakthrough today. Decisions are for the Eurogroup,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel on her arrival at the EU Council Summit on Thursday.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday that it is “premature” to discuss a third bailout programme for Greece and warned Athens “to avoid unilateral measures.” “We are going to focus on implementing what was agreed in the Eurogroup," he added.

The Greek question would certainly be raised at the Council summit, “if only in a minor way,” the German Chancellor Angela Merkel told journalists ahead of Thursday’s informal Council meeting in Brussels.

“There is no general commitment as yet that minds each and everyone, which covers each and everyone, for example, those that are guilty. But we need the results of the investigation,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Brussels after an EU leaders meeting on Thursday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters upon her arrival at the informal EU summit in Brussels on Thursday that she was looking forward to her first meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

On his arrival at the European Council, François Hollande called on leaders to remain vigilant on the Ukrainian question, and said that the next hours would be crucial. The French President recognised that "the agreement is no guarantee for long-term success".

European Central Bank president Mario Draghi grabbed the spotlight on Thursday, as he announced Europe's latest hope to revive its weak economy: the so-called quantitative easing, or a bond-buying scheme of 60 billion euros a month.

On her arrival at the December 2014 EU Summit,German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Europe “must combine both, budgetary consolidation and growth. Deficits don't necessarily lead to growth, we are hoping for common solutions.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that European leaders will discuss imposing new sanctions on Russia at an EU Summit in Brussels on Saturday (30 August). The summit was initially planned to decide top job appointments.

Speaking to journalists on her arrival at the June EU Summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that “Russia is not doing enough to achieve a peaceful solution” and the EU is considering a new set of sanctions.

Speaking in a press conference after EU leaders proposed Jean-Claude Juncker as the next President of the European Commission, German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended on Friday the European Council's decision of nomination EPP's Jean-Claude Juncker as the next Commission President. “He has broad European experience and he is willing to accommodate national and EU demands”, Merkel said.

The European Parliament told EU council president Herman Van Rompuy on Thursday to nominate EPP Jean Claude Juncker as the next commission president. Parliament leaders warned that the Chamber is ready to veto any other candidates.

On her arrival at the European Council building in Brussels on Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that both European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and EPP Commission president candidate Jean-Claude Juncker will be 'given a mandate' to carry out post-election consultations.